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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Throwback: Stick Stickly

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Today's throwback is focused on a character who hosted afternoon cable television.

When I first got cable, afternoons in the summer found my siblings and I tuning into Nick in the Afternoon, which would feature random shows. The two-hour block was hosted by Stick Stickly, a popsicle stick with a few glued-on features. He'd don various costumes to go various places, and he met other sticks, like Holly B. Wood (his love interest, who was also a news anchor), Woodknot Stickly (his long-lost brother), and SuperStick (his super hero identity). Here's the story of Woodknot (note: you can tell this is kinda old, the World Trade Center is featured):

Stick Stickly would spin on a dial to figure out what show would play next. There was a segment called Stump Stick, where he'd be given a riddle to solve. There was Dip Stick, where Stick had to try and guess what he was being dunked into. Doesn't sound that exciting now, but it was amusing to us (pre)teens!

And, to completely date the entire thing (Stick went off the air in 1998), you didn't email him... you wrote to him. And, all true Stick fans will now sing the following jingle aloud... "Write to me, Stick Stickly, PO BOX 963, New York City, New York State, 10108!" Now, the real question... did you send him a rubber band for his birthday like he asked? My mom wouldn't give me a stamp for such a thing, but I wanted to!

Did this bring it all back for you? Or were you one of those kids who played outside during the dog-day afternoons of summer? :-P